Is Cal Ripken #27 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Super Chrome · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Cal Ripken #27 sell for $24.00, only $20.94 above the $3.06 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($21.71) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $3.06
- Grade 9.5
- $24.00
- PSA 9
- $21.71
- Gem premium
- 7.8×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $24.00 | −$4.06 | −$29.06 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $21.71 | −$6.35 | −$31.35 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $9.99 | −$18.07 | −$43.07 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $3.06 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $22.28 | −$30.78 |
| 50% | $22.86 | −$30.20 |
| 75% | $23.43 | −$29.63 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Other 1998 Topps Super Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Cal Ripken #27 — FAQ
Is Cal Ripken #27 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Cal Ripken #27 sell for $24.00, only $20.94 above the $3.06 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($21.71) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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